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Catching Up with Micah Feldman, Intern and Young Advocate

Micah Feldman is a young man “going places.” Just to give you a sense of how involved Micah is with fulfilling his goals of being an independent young man, taking advantage of every opportunity in his path – it took us at The Arc several weeks to coordinate a time to talk to prepare this blog post. Between Micah’s commitments as an intern at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), speaking engagements at various conferences, and personal events (like his sister’s recent graduation weekend), Micah is not sitting still this summer!

Tell us about how you landed your internship at HHS this summer.

I heard about the AAPD internship program from my mom and thought it sounded like a good experience. I applied once before, but wasn’t picked. So I tried again and this summer I’m one of 30 or so people interning in Washington. I wanted to work at HHS because I met Sharon Lewis at a conference and we became friends.

What is a typical day like at HHS?

Well, every day is different. But I have spent time doing research on guardianship and voting rights. I learn about the health care law. I now know that getting a physical regularly is covered. I’ve also supported the CRPD (U.N. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities). It needs to get passed.

Why is the CRPD important to you?

It will help people travel more outside the country and have a voice at the table. It’s important for us to support it.

Let’s talk about the good and the bad of your summer in Washington experience.

The best part was going to the ADA celebration at the White House. Tom Perez, the Secretary of Labor, spoke. He’s done a lot for people with disabilities. President Obama was not there because he’s a busy guy.

The worst part is by the end of the day, I’m tired of sitting in front of a computer screen.

What else have you been doing, besides working, here in Washington?

I went to a Nationals baseball game, which was a lot of fun. I saw the FDR Memorial. And soon I’m going to the Newseum with AAPD.

What’s next for you?

I will go home to Michigan for a few days of rest. Then I go back to Syracuse University, where I’m getting my certificate in disability studies. I’m a teaching assistant too. And I will continue to look for speaking opportunities.

This summer, I learned a lot and met lots of people. Maybe in the future, I will work here.

We at The Arc wouldn’t be surprised to see Micah again in Washington, working full time or as a self-advocate for important issues like the CRPD. Thanks for sharing your experience with us, Micah!